I was going to wait until next month, when it had actually been ten years since I started my journal, but I've been writing a scene in my fan fiction today that drew heavily on emotions and situations from ten years ago, so I figured it was time to write. Also, I have no impulse control. Apparently.

I don't use this anymore. That should have been obvious a long time ago. I don't even really keep a journal anywhere - I don't really count GrinnellPlans as a journal so much as a valuable way to keep in touch with folks. I watch communities and read the journals of authors and other people who have interesting things to say. I bypass some CAPTCHA checks on certain anonymous communities by actually having an account. I read the journal of mundungus42, who actually updates consistently.

I am not the same person I was in high school. I mean, no one is, but the moment I decided to go to Grinnell instead of the other options I sent myself on this path, and I wouldn't take that back for anything. There are a fair number of things I regret doing in the past 10 years. The choice to attend Grinnell is never, ever going to be one of them. I made friends there from Day One, and while I haven't sustained all of those connections - the ones I have sustained have been worth it. Number one of those connections, dwarfing all others, is the man I married last August. I met Jonathan during our first tutorial meeting during New Student Orientation, but I have no clear recollection of that meeting. What I do remember is talking with him after Calculus, for increasingly longer periods each time. I remember the early stages of our relationship where we both admitted we were figuring it out as we went along. I remember my sister visiting, which was the thing that forced me to admit that we were a couple. And we just kept going from there.

My career has zig-zagged a bunch. I discovered that I'm not actually a good laboratory worker, and that there's a lot about macro-science (for lack of a better term) that appeals to me. I'm unemployed, and trying desperately to find a job, and there are good days and bad days with the joys of job searches.

After years of being unsatisfied in San Diego, I'm back on the East Coast. Not as close to CT as I'd like, but we're adapting to live in the DC area. (Now, if only I could find a job...)

And after years of being a dog person, I adopted a cat. We lost Marcie too soon, but Bailey and Elayne keep us on our toes.

I don't run anymore. I placed such a high value on that in my first entries, ten years ago, and over time it just ceased to matter. I still love being outdoors, and hikes are fantastic, but I don't run. For whatever reason, it became too painful to run on concrete, and it's been easier to take up other exercises rather than go out of my way to find the right trails.

I still read a lot. I still write (as evidenced by how I started this post). Fan fiction is a recent thing for me - when I finished playing the Mass Effect trilogy I just started itching to write something in that world, and so I did. And now I have an epic crossover on my hands. But at least I'm having fun!

I think I'm writing this more for completion's sake than anything else. I feel the need to bring things around in a full circle, even if nothing else comes out of this journal. I just couldn't leave the last entry hanging.

Onwards and upwards, and hopefully that will include gainful employment soon.

I am now twittering.

I will be in CT tomorrow (Dec 21) until January 7th.

I lost the job that was mentioned before. Back to the drawing board on employment opportunities.

Voila Marcie.

I have a job as a veterinary assistant at California Veterinary Specialists. I do the dirty/grunt work 75% of the time, and interesting stuff 25% of the time.

Because of this job, I have arranged to adopt a cat. She will be coming to our place this coming Thursday. Her name is Marcie. I will have pictures when she's arrived.

Since I'm not really using this space for anything else (hello, 16 weeks without an entry!) I figured I'd put my Project Runway thoughts here, as I've been itching to comment on my favorite reality show. Actually, PR is the only one I like to any degree, so 'favorite' doesn't mean quite as much. Anyway, here we go!

( Recap/Review behind the cut.Collapse )

Jonathan and I are engaged. :-D :-D

Those of you who had to find out the news this way and are upset about the impersonal nature of it, I'm very sorry and you can yell at me. It's that end-of-the-semester craziness time.

This is the last Important Announcement... until I get a job. Then I'll write another one and let you know what job I got.

(insert violent swearing regarding the immunology paper I am working on and my lack of foresight and ability to get it done sometime before Ungodly O'Clock the day it's due).

(Irony: I consider myself a dog person. But, hey, it beats a friggin' spider.)

It's official. Jonathan is going to (or may already have) accept(ed) the job with BAE.

We're moving to San Diego.

Disclaimers to Important Announcement:

1) I should have been in bed, except I started watching Torchwood and had two episodes to go through. Wow, this season is SO much better than S1.

2) I will probably post a really brief synopsis of the past few months soon, but don't hold me to that. Sorry I've been out of touch, but school has kept me sooo busy.

Ok, the announcement:

It's about 75% certain that Jonathan and I are going to be moving to San Diego after graduation. Jonathan has been offered a job, a good job, in San Diego and I've been able to find openings that I'm qualified for. We both have to talk it over, weigh things, but he'd be happy with the job and feels like it's a good opportunity to him. And it's a good offer, with a company that's already demonstrated its willingness to treat its employees well.

San Diego wasn't on the list of potential places we were moving to, that I've told some of you about, but this offer kind of forces us to consider it. I am by no means reconciled to calling San Diego home for the long term -- we're both young, we could move around and change jobs more before settling. Jonathan has until April 4th to decide. We'll be talking about it when we get back, or maybe sooner.